Mosquito traps deployed in housing estates

An NEA officer showing how Aedes mosquitoes caught in the top part of the Gravitrap, where an adhesive layer is, are removed.

Mosquito traps deployed in housing estates

Samantha Boh |
Thursday, Mar 20, 2014

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Samantha Boh

Thursday, Mar 20, 2014

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SINGAPORE - A six-month trial of mosquito traps in Clementi and Bukit Panjang will be continued and rolled out to other housing estates.

About 1,300 Gravitraps - black cylindrical devices to trap Aedes mosquitoes - were tested by the National Environment Agency (NEA) across Clementi and Bukit Panjang in the past six months. More than 800 Aedes mosquitoes were caught.

Each housing block will get Gravitraps on chosen floors, with the devices placed along the corridors.

The devices trap adult female mosquitoes and their eggs to reduce the mosquito population.

They hold hay-infused water - containing organic material - to attract the Aedes mosquitoes, and a filter which prevent them from laying eggs in the water.

The insides are lined with sticky tape to trap the insects.

Data on the number and type of mosquitoes captured is also used to detect areas with a high mosquito population and uncover breeding spots, said NEA.

NEA officers inspect the traps every two weeks to collect mosquito samples and to change the water and the adhesive tape.

The government agency said it will also deploy these traps in large dengue clusters to complement other mosquito-control measures.

Besides the traps in Clementi and Bukit Panjang, 1,500 Gravitraps were installed in 80 dengue clusters last year.

"As the deployment and maintenance of Gravitraps require careful planning and manpower support, we will deploy Gravitraps to more areas progressively, in line with available resources," said NEA.

In the week ending Saturday, 229 dengue cases were reported, an increase of 19 from the previous week. "The rising trend indicates the continued risk of dengue transmission," said NEA.

Madam Tan Chiu Hong, 54, a resident in Bukit Panjang, said any measure to prevent mosquito breeding is welcome.